NEWSLETTER

OUR MISSION: To protect and preserve our natural heritage and help build an environmental culture while developing a Botanical Garden dedicated to Mexican flora and providing an oasis of peace and tranquility for all.

Please tell your friends and prospective members/supporters how to access the newsletter and help broaden the base of support for the Botanical Garden.

MEMBERSHIP PARTY – SPECIAL OFFER

December 5th 6-9p.m. Posada Corazon (Aldama 9, Centro)

Join us at one of the most beautiful B&Bs in town for wine, botanas and live music offered by Posada Corazon. We are also extending a discount to everyone who either renews their membership that evening or becomes a new member. Instead of the usual 700pesos, this evening supporting El Charco as a member will be only 600pesos for a one year membership for you and two other people to enjoy free entrance. Membership has other rewards as well such as receiving discounts to events and workshops. Board members, including the President, Cesar Arias, and staff members including our Directors will be attending as well and if you have any comments, questions or suggestions, they will be available for a discussion. This is a wonderful opportunity to help sustain one of San Miguel’s jewels and enjoy yourself at the same time. Mark your calendars and we’ll see you there.
If you are out of town but would like to take advantage of this special offer, please send us a check dated December 5th, made out to El Charco del Ingenio A.C. in the amount of $50 on a USD or Canadian account and send it to : El Charco del Ingenio, c/o Posada Corazon, Aldama 9, Centro, San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico 37700
Your membership card will be waiting for you at El Charco’s Reception desk for your next visit. Thank you.

FIVE REASONS TO BECOME A MEMBER OF EL CHARCO

❂ Know you are helping to protect over 150 species of birds, 32 species of mammals, 110 species of butterflies, and more than 500 species of native flora.
❂ Have pride that you are supporting environmental education and a growing environmental awareness in our entire geographical region.
❂ Free entrance to the Reserve and Botanical Gardens any day of the year.
❂ Bring two friends as your guests for free, anytime and get discounts to certain events.
❂ know you can call this “sanctuary of peace” which is El Charco del Ingenio your home.

FOURTH ANNUAL LAND ART EXHIBIT (ART OF THE EARTH) IN EL CHARCO

The inauguration on Saturday, November 23 this year shows ever more interesting works. After the brilliant performance by the Viral Dance Collective, filling the Plaza of the Four Winds with movement, sound and color, attendees were led on a guided tour through various Charco areas to discover the works of the participants, 13 in total, artists and art students especially from the Autonomous University of Queretaro. The works can be visited this month and those which follow - until nature reclaims them. The list of works and authors is on the large map near the Cafe to help guide your visit. Special thanks for the curation of this year’s Land Art project goes to Oscar Aguirre, who gave quality and meaning to many of the pieces, and to Marco Barrera for jury support. For the snacks and cuisine we thank the students of the Technological University of San Miguel de Allende, and the video made by Compadre Productions, which was screened at the opening ceremony.

CHANGES TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF EL CHARCO

During the month of November El Charco’s Board unanimously agreed to some significant changes in the management structure of the organization. In order to expedite decisions in the future, the number of members was reduced, while the Board was reconfigured with the following members: Cesar Arias , Rocio Rios, Naomi Zerriffi, Leopoldo Estrada, Mario Mendoza, Martin Keogh and Alfredo Garcia Lucio. Also, an Advisory Council was created headed by the outgoing members of the Board: Emilio Gonzalez, Cecilia Loera, Juan José Álvarez, Martín Martínez, Marisela Garcia de la Sota, Luis Franke and Martin Smith. They are joined by twenty sanmiguelenses with qualified knowledge and skills in different areas, and who are attuned to the mission of the Botanical Gardens. Finally, the Board gave special recognition to Robert Haas, founding member of the organization , who passed away a few months ago.

NEW OVERLOOK IN EL CHARCO HONORING BOB HAAS

A new plaza in the Botanical Garden was opened a few days ago, called Bob's Spot (Divisadero Bob Haas) to honor and remember one of the historical drivers behind this conservation project, who passed away a few months ago. The new plaza is located in an exceptional point with magnificent views of the canyon that gives its name to the historic site. From this unique spot you have a 180 degree overlook of lush green vegetation, the ruins of the old textile watermill, the dam, the rocks and waterfalls that plunge to the spring of Charco, and the high vertical cliffs lining the canyon.

A simple and moving traditional ceremony inaugurated Bob's Spot, with copal perfuming the site while flower petals were scattered and cucharilla sticks were placed, the ritual plant of San Miguel. Those close to Bob were present: his wife Jennifer, his dearest friends, and representatives from Audubon and Garden Club, as well as Board members and staff of the Botanic Garden. This overlook in Bob Haas' memory is testimony of his friendship and collaboration with El Charco del Ingenio.

We remind you that the Bob Haas’ Nature Fund in behalf of El Charco is still open to donations. We thank those who have already contributed: Joy Emery, Shelley Cohee, Cynthia Simmons, Ali Zerriffi, Jim Ktichel, June & David Steven, Reeves Wilke, Ivana Vázquez Tejeida, Gael Naim Tejeida Baustista, Paulina Tejeida, Franco Raos Tejeida, Salvador Vázquez, Aldo García Tejeida, Leticia Tejeida, David Keith Sutton, William S. Curra, Gerry Gill, Cheryl King, Sally Richman y Ken Schultz (Director of the Botanical Garden, Phoenix, Arizona). All amounts are welcome and may be left at the Reception area of El Charco, or at Posada Corazon on Aldama 9. If you are out of town, you can send a donation through a bank transfer. Write to Naomi for details at nzerriffi@gmail.com.

Carmen Aristegui, perhaps the most recognized reporter throughout Mexico for her brilliance, courage and honesty, recipient of many awards, the most recent being by Pen Club in the category of Journalistic Excellence, visited the Botanical Garden in early November. Along with her came another extraordinary character: Elena Poniatowska, one of the most prolific writers in Mexican literature, distinguished a few days ago with the most important award in the Spanish speaking world, the Cervantes Prize for Literature. Both were received by the Director and staff of El Charco and came to know, with the simplicity and curiosity that characterizes them both, the development of an independent conservation project, while they enjoyed the beauty of the site.
Two truly exemplary Mexican women...

NATIONAL NETWORK OF STATE NATURAL PROTECTED AREAS MEET IN EL CHARCO

Over 30 representatives of nature preserves of Nayarit, Puebla, Guanajuato, Chiapas, Michoacan, Sinaloa, Baja California Sur, Tabasco, Guerrero and other states of the country in recent days made a visit to El Charco, within their annual meeting which took place in San Miguel.
The tour of the preserve, led by the president of the Botanical Garden, was not only interesting for the audience, but also allowed for an exchange of ideas about the natural areas of Mexico and the need to strengthen their protection mechanisms.

EL CHARCO HELPS DEFEND THE SIERRA GORDA BIOSPHERE

The Botanical Garden of San Miguel de Allende publicly manifested their solidarity with the movement in defense of the Biosphere Reserve of the Sierra Gorda of Guanajuato, extraordinary natural area protected by a federal decree in 2011 and currently threatened by the expansion of powerful mining extractive interests. Various mining companies, domestic and foreign, have pressured for months and in various ways the local and national authorities in order to amend the protected area, with a view to abusive and predatory mining. Fortunately, the citizen outcry against the destruction of the Biosphere Reserve rose sufficiently to require the federal government to respect the conservation of one of the most important strongholds of biodiversity in the country, rich in ecosystems, forests and fauna such as jaguar, black bear, puma, bobcat and deer.
Mining out of the Biosphere Reserve!

MINING AND ITS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

We all use metals and other minerals on a daily basis one way or another. If we look around us, we see that many of the things that we use have a metal or mineral component: computers, phones, headsets, cameras, radios, even in spiral notebooks and pens! But do we ever stop to think about where they came from all these components? Yes, most of them came from a mine somewhere in the world. Mines can be both on the surface and underground, and they all have a significant impact on the associated natural resources. The open pits are apparently the most destructive because they involve huge open holes in the earth as in the stunning diamond mines, but although the visual impact may be smaller in underground mines, they come a close second for the damages they cause. The main impacts of mines are deforestation, erosion and pollution of bodies of water and soil.

What to do then? Again, one of the most sensible answers is to reduce and control our consumption patterns. If we conserve and use things to the end of their useful lives, recycle them and if we can reduce our indiviual consumption, surely this would help to greatly reduce the need to continue with the predatory search and opening of new mines .. .

UNAM PLANT EXCHANGE WITH EL CHARCO

After a few months of planning and evaluation, agreements will be completed in the near future between El Charco and the Botanical Garden of the Ecosystems Research Center (CIECO) of UNAM, Morelia campus, to exchange samples of at least 17 species of plants in our collection, and CIECO will purchas several more. Exchanges such as this seek to broaden the genetic diversity of botanical collections and allow the propagation of plants legally. In turn, the purchase of additional plants allows CIECO to increase the plant community in its own botanical garden. Many thanks to Nidia Perez and Juan for their first encounter with us and this partnership initiative-the first of many, we hope.

CLOSURE OF IV FOTONATURA
PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION

3 to December 31
Reception Botanical Garden

Within the ongoing environmental education program of the Garden, the IV Fotonatura ended with significant results. The 15 students from the community Agustín González concluded their eight Saturday sessions during which they explored various techniques of photography, relating them to environmental issues. The student’s connection with nature once again increases their interest in caring about the environment.
The results of the IV Workshop Fotonatura are now presented in the Garden. Fifteen visual poetry, in which beautiful and simple objects are captured by the sensitive eyes of the boys. We invite you to enjoy these images on your next visit to the El Charco.Congratulations Fotonatura IV children!

TREES OF EL CHARCO

Palo ZorroCeltis caudata
Ulmaceae Family

This slow-growing,small to medium sized tree, of the elm family, is found on dry hillsides and in the canyons of the Picachos range and the San Miguel region. It is a species that requires some shelter to prosper. Although it tolerates drought, it is susceptible to frost. Its dense, rouge leaves, tend to curl up when they lack water. At the end of the rainy season the tree develops a small, dark reddish fruit sought by birds.
The wood is used in rural construction, as fence posts, for tool handles and agricultural implements. It is a source of firewood, as well as providing nectar for bees, edible fruit and forage.
Some native examples of this tree grow in protected thickets both in the Botanical Garden and Parque Landeta.

MORE ACTIVITIES FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER

Bird-watching Tours

h2>Every first and third Wednesday of the month, 9 am – 11:30 am. English Cost: 100 pesos general public | 60 pesos El Charco members
Guides include Signe Hammer, Norman Besman, Luke Rich and Michael Wheatcroft.
The walks are for birders of all levels. They begin at 9:00 am and last about 2 1/2 hours. No reservations needed, and feel free to leave the walk at any time. Please bring binoculars, wear comfortable walking shoes and a hat, and bring water. Your guide will meet you after you pass through the Reception area of the Botanical Garden.

TOURS IN SPANISH on Saturdays at 9a.m.

¡Ven a pajarear con nosotros, te sorprenderàs!

More information: charcodelingeniocomunicacion@gmail.com

Guided Tours in El Charco

Martes y jueves 10 am

Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10 am| in English
Duration: two hours Cost: $80 pesos, members $50

Visit the Conservatory of Mexican Plants, the Scented Garden and the canyon, archeological ruins and much more. We recommend you wear sunscreen, and bring a hat. With some luck, we will have some rainy days still in September.

THE FULL MOON CEREMONY

Tuesday, December 17th | 7p.m. | Plaza of 4 Winds |

We invite everyone to this open celebration that has been taking place for many years during the full moon cycle at the Four Winds Plaza in the Botanical Garden under the always surprising direction of Alicia Mayo. It’s worth arriving a little early to admire the setting of the sun and the appearance of the moon over the mountains. You may want to bring a coat for cool evenings and you may bring a musical instrument.
Alicia Mayo : 152 .0376.

This sweat-lodge steam bath, of ritual and healing character, takes place under the direction of an experienced temazcal leader in the ruins of the hacienda located in the Botanical Garden on the far side of the reservoir.
The combination of heat, humidity and fragrant herbs provides a purifying experience for the body and spirit. Its benefits are multiple: it activates circulation, increases the body’s defenses, eliminates pains, decreases uric acid, relaxes the muscles, regulates the nervous system, stimulates respiration and is excellent for losing weight.